~Sage's Place~

Friday, January 11, 2013

We drove along the Niagara River, Canadian side, from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario up to Niagara-on-the-Lake, staying close to the shore. The Canadian side has many pull-offs from which you can see the winter waterfowl.

Mallard pair

Common Mergansers

Canvasbacks

Common Goldeneye

Long-tailed Duck, drake, formerly known as "Old Squaw"

One of the sources of constant gunfire, a boat with small men and their big guns, hunting the defenseless little ducks we travel so far to see. This boat and others were seen in the water between Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, and Fort Niagara, NY. Tryouts for "Duck Dynasty"?

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Mourning doves came to a wicker bookcase on our balcony two weeks ago, built their nest in one day and were incubating the next day! Two little squabs should be hatching now and I am so wishing we had a cam out there!

The nest is on the top shelf next to a beautiful nestbox I received as a gift last year. The Morning Dove parents and their babies are fairly well protected from wind, rain and predators in this sheltered site. Once the babies fledge at 13-15 days after hatching, they will enter a more dangerous world, as there are Red-tails and Cooper's Hawks in the area.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Red-winged Blackbirds scattered among the reeds along the edge of the marsh, when a crow flies in at attacks a nest, flying away with a baby. Only then did the adult Red-wings take wing and attack the fleeing crow who successfully escaped with its prize.